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Portugal roar past Czechs

Portugal's play-maker Cristiano Ronaldo hit a second-half
goal to all but book his side's place in the UEFA EURO 2008
quarter-finals in a 3-1 win over the Czech Republic on
Wednesday.

As Manchester United struggle to keep him at Old Trafford, the
23-year-old playmaker showed why the European giants are battling
for his services with an impressive performance.

After Barcelona's Deco had given Portugal an eighth-minute
lead, the Czechs hit back with a brilliant header from midfielder
Libor Sionko on 17 minutes, before Ronaldo sealed the game with a
superb shot in the 63rd minute.

And he then turned provider for Portuguese substitute Ricardo
Quaresmo to score a third goal in extra-time.

"I am really pleased with the performance," said
man-of-the-match Ronaldo."I feel very good at the moment, we
have reached our goal of six points from six. I am very happy to
have helped the team and get the win, it was hard to break the
Czech defence in the first half.

"Everyone worked hard and we took our chances with the
third goal," he added.

After both sides had got off to winning starts last Saturday in
their EURO 2008 Group A campaigns, the result leaves the Portuguese
on six points and all but sure to reach the last eight.

Last Saturday, Portugal beat Turkey 2-0 and the Czechs - who had
broken Switzerland's defence with a 1-0 win - will now need to
beat Turkey on Saturday in their last group game to be sure to
reach the last eight.

Before kick-off, Czech coach Karel Bruckner had found no place
in his starting line-up for towering forward Jan Koller, prefering
to go with former Liverpool marksman Milan Baros as the lone
striker.

And Hamburg midfielder David Jarolim, who had started against
Switzerland, also found himself on the bench.

In contrast, Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari kept the same
side who tormented Turkey.

The game had an electric start at the Stade de Geneve when
Ronaldo darted into the area and played a cute one-two with Benfica
striker Nuno Gomes in the games opening moments.

But despite their early set back, the Czechs hit back as
defender Jaroslav Plasil swung in a cross and Sionko powered his
header past Portugal keeper Ricardo on 16 minutes.

The first booking of the game came shortly after when Anderlecht
midfielder Jan Polak tackled Pepe from behind, but Chelsea-bound
Jose Bosingwa followed into the referee's book with a heavy
foul on 31 minutes.

Ronaldo tested Cech when he unleashed a powerful shot just
before half-time which forced the Chelsea goalkeeper into a diving
save.

After a slow start to the second half from both sides, Portugal
started to exert some authority.

The threatened break through came in the 63rd minute when Deco
laid the ball across the penalty area for Ronaldo to drill his shot
under Cech.

With time running out, Bruckner sent Koller into the action at
the expense of his Nuremberg team-mate Tomas Galasek, while Jarolim
also entered the fray, but it was too late for the Czechs
chances.

And it was all over in the 91st minute as Ronaldo saw off the
Czech threat as he drew Cech and slipped a pass for Quaresma to
hammer the ball into an empty net.

Portugal will face co-hosts Switzerland in Basel on Sunday in
their final group stage game.